Hydroprocessing is any process for treating a feedstock with hydrogen. Hydroprocessing may include hydrocracking, which is a process for converting of heavy oil fractions to light oil fractions, HDS/HDN, HYD, HAD, HDM, and HDO. Hydroprocessing is taking place in a hydroprocessing catalytic reactor which is the key element of a hydroprocessing unit. Hydroprocessing catalytic reactors can have single or multiple catalyst beds. Which of the options will be chosen for a particular reactor depends on the amount of catalyst is required for conversion of the feed to the product with desired properties. Most of the hydroprocessing reactions are exothermic and heat is developed as feed is passing through the catalyst bed. In order not to expose the catalyst to higher temperatures than required, and consequently to accelerate deactivation of the catalyst, the required volume of catalyst is divided into a number of beds with cooling zones (quench sections) installed between the beds. In a radial converter, the deck of the reactor ensures that the gas flow is collected along the perimeter of the reactor prior admission to the catalyst containing section.
Due to the installation, un-installation and maintenance requirements, as well as cleaning of elements of the reactor, it is crucial to provide full access to any of the reactor elements. In order to minimise the complexity of work in the reactor, it is necessary to enable convenient and fast opening/closing of all man-ways of all of the elements of the section.
Therefore a need exists for a reactor with an improved plate fixing system which provides simple and fast assembling and dismantling with a minimum use of tools, but still providing a secure, tight and stable fixing of the plates to the reactor internals.